GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. DECEMBER 2020. GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT Published by the state of Wisconsin. December 2020. For more information, please see: https://climatechange.wi.gov Suggested citation: State of Wisconsin. (2020). Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change Report. Madison, WI. Please remember to recycle. This report was printed on paper with post- consumer recycled content and other sustainably harvested materials. All photos courtesy of the Lt. Governor's Office and iStockphoto unless otherwise noted. Cover photo provided by Travel Wisconsin. Pictured on the inside front cover from top left to bottom right: Trevonna Simms, Pastor Bridget Jones, Jessica LeClair, Dr. Chirantan Mukhopadhyay, Lieutenant Governor Barnes visits Tomandl Farm, City of River Falls residents celebrate the switch to renewable energy (Credit: Mike Noreen), Lieutenant Governor Barnes visits with members of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Dodge County Farmers Healthy Soil & Water (Credit: Tony Peirick), The Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu, Lieutenant Governor Barnes tours storm damage with members of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, and James Edward Mills leads an outdoor adventure with The Joy Trip Project. i We offer our appreciation and acknowledgments for the significant contributions of climate leaders, advocates, and organizations that went into the making of this report. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT contributions, along with the long list of individuals The task force would like to acknowledge that the and organizations who provided expertise, including work that led to this report took place on land that The Bridge Studio, Wisconsin Initiative on Climate was stolen from Indigenous peoples, who have lived Change Impacts, RENEW Wisconsin, Wisconsin Clean in harmony with this land and its natural resources Cities, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, Organic Valley, since time immemorial. This work would not be Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, possible without wisdom and knowledge from the 11 Monroe County Climate Change Task Force, Dodge federally recognized Native Nations and one federally County Farmers Healthy Soil & Water, Midwest unrecognized Native Nation with whom the state Energy Research Consortium, Great Plains Institute, of Wisconsin shares geography: Bad River Band of Urban Footprint, City of River Falls, City of Milwaukee, Lake Superior Chippewa, Forest County Potawatomi, University of Wisconsin Sustainability, Electa Ho-Chunk Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Quinney Institute for American Indian Education, Superior Chippewa Indians, Lac du Flambeau Band of Groundwork Milwaukee, Health Care Without Harm, Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Menominee Indian Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation Tribe of Wisconsin, Oneida Nation, Red Cliff Band Northland College, The Joy Trip Project, City of of Lake Superior Chippewa, Sokaogon Chippewa Bayfield, Oneida Nation, Badger Rock Community Community Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Center, Marathon County Conservation, Planning, and Chippewa, St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, Zoning Department, Walnut Way Conservation Corp, Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Wisconsin Indians, Brothertown Indian Nation. Bike Fed, Trevonna Simms, Pastor Bridget Jones, Dr. Chirantan Mukhopadhyay, and Jessica LeClair. We also wish to express our thanks to the state agency ACKNOWLEDGMENTS staff who provided invaluable support, and to the We wish to acknowledge and appreciate the significant many members of the public who attended meetings contributions of the members of the Governor’s Task and listening sessions, submitted public comment, and Force on Climate Change. In addition, we are grateful shared their expertise. to the U.S. Climate Alliance for their support and ii CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii FOREWORD Letter from Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes 3 A Message from the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 Governor Evers’ and Lieutenant Governor Barnes’ Climate Leadership 6 and the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change Task Force Members 7 Climate Solutions 8 The Task Force by Numbers: Community Voice + Participation 10 Environmental Justice 12 HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS IMPACTING WISCONSIN 14 The Human and Economic Costs 14 The Science 14 Wisconsin’s Current Greenhouse Gas Emissions 16 ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE 18 CLIMATE SOLUTIONS 21 Climate Justice & Equity 22 Energy 28 Transportation 44 Agriculture 50 Resilient Systems 58 Clean Economy 66 Education 76 Food Systems 80 Forestry 86 Tier 2 92 1 “ The people are ready for change. The people are demanding change. Farmers are choosing more sustainable agricultural practices. Utility companies are investing in renewable energy. And our local communities are reforming their policies to promote greener, cleaner economies.” Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change 2 FOREWORD Letter from Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes ust months before Governor human-caused climate change, and The policy solutions you will find Evers named me chair of his further health risks are imminent if in this report lay the foundation JGovernor’s Task Force on we don’t take urgent action. for our state to become a leader Climate Change, I spent a summer in tackling the climate crisis. And day touring storm damage in That’s why Governor Evers created while adopting those policies is an northern Wisconsin. While storm this task force. Our charge is to important first step, it’s clear that damage tours are a common duty combat the crisis at hand, to do so our state must continue to take for governors and lieutenant gover- in a way that weds science and data bold, aggressive actions in order nors, this tour was different. Four- with the experiences of citizens in to protect our precious natural teen tornadoes had hit Wisconsin the state, to learn how different resources and preserve our beau- in a span of two days. The people I communities and industries have tiful outdoor spaces. met with were overwhelmed with been impacted, and to learn from the destruction that stood before those that are already leading the The climate crisis has been us—most unsure of how they would way in combatting this crisis. hundreds of years in the making, recover. Farms that had been in and we know that we will not solve families for generations were gone. And that’s exactly what this task it with one set of recommendations force did. We focused our work on or one biennial state budget, but Since I took office, much of my time the people of Wisconsin. We united our state has let this crisis go unad- as lieutenant governor has been a diverse coalition—representing dressed for too long. spent learning about the impact different perspectives, communi- climate change has been having on ties, and industries—with a shared The people are ready for change. our state. Extreme weather gener- vision to make Wisconsin a cleaner, The people are demanding change. ates a costly toll on farmers and safer, and more equitable state. Farmers are choosing more their crops. Flooding is impacting sustainable agricultural practices. homes, infrastructure, and water We also focused on listening to Utility companies are investing in quality. Deadly cold spells have the voices that have gone unheard renewable energy. And our local shut down our state. And our Great by past leaders of this state and communities are reforming their Lakes are experiencing a period nation—the voices of people of policies to promote greener, cleaner of record-high water levels, which color and low-income communities, economies. has grave consequences for coastal whose air and water are more likely ecosystems and will cost communi- to be polluted but whose communi- We can and must make Wisconsin a ties millions of dollars. ties are far less likely to be included place where everyone can grow up in policymaking. These voices must in a safe and clean environment and But more alarming is that the health be part of the conversation and has the opportunity to thrive, no and well-being of every citizen drive solutions—anything less will matter their ZIP Code. in this state is in grave danger continue the long pattern of because of the changing climate. environmental racism we have Many have already been harmed by witnessed in this country. Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change 3 “ While the climate crisis and COVID-19 pandemic are distinct, the known systemic impacts are not. Like COVID-19, climate change is a global phenomenon requiring massive structural transformations of economic and social institutions.” Kristofer James Canto Chair, Healthy Communities and a Strong Economy Subcommittee, Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change 4 FOREWORD A Message from the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change s the task force met over we know that this global phenom- from all sectors, institutions, and the course of 2020, the enon is experienced locally. communities across the state— A U.S. experienced another and under the leadership of unprecedented year of extreme Wisconsin’s climate is changing. Lieutenant Governor Mandela heat, wildfires, hurricanes, and Climate challenges include more Barnes—it is with great pleasure flooding. The devastation of these hot, humid weather with more and responsibility that the disasters impacted the lives and intense and more frequent heavy Governor’s Task Force on Climate livelihoods of Americans already rainfalls, as well as freezing winter Change presents the following struggling to cope during a world- rain instead of snow, followed by recommendations for consideration wide pandemic. deep winter freezes (such as those by Governor Tony Evers and the from a polar vortex). These changes Wisconsin State Legislature. While the climate crisis and affect the stability of Wisconsin’s COVID-19 pandemic are distinct, economic sectors as well as human the known systemic impacts are health and safety.2 Immediate not.